Newslinks for Wednesday 29th June 2016

Crabb makes his leadership pitch: freedom of movement must stop…

“The verdict was clear: there is no going back. A second referendum is out of the question. What the country needs now is a clear direction, not further instability. I want to lead a government that delivers on the expectations of the 17 million people who voted for Britain to leave the EU. One of the overwhelming messages from that vote was the need to take back control of immigration policy in the UK. So for me, freedom of movement is a red line. I want to lead a government that delivers on the expectations of the 17 million people who voted for Britain to leave the EU. One of the overwhelming messages from that vote was the need to take back control of immigration policy in the UK. So for me, freedom of movement is a red line. We now have a vital opportunity to craft an immigration policy that is outward looking, ensures we get the skills we need, and is ultimately decided in the UK. That will mean tough negotiations with Europe.- Stephen Crabb, Daily Telegraph

…But Johnson makes the early running with declarations. Meanwhile, May appears to be holding her fire – and preparing a “shock and awe” entry

“Senior Tory Ministers last night threw their weight behind Boris Johnson in a bid to crush an ‘Anyone But BoJo’ stitch-up led by bitter Remain MPs. His push to become PM gained momentum with Cabinet ministers John Whittingdale and Liz Truss and junior ministers Dominic Raab and George Eustice all supporting him. Remain-backing party grandee Sir Nicholas Soames shocked Westminster as he sensationally also sided with Boris” – Sun

Johnson has early momentum and bridges the Tory divide, although May came top in a Conservative Home poll – The Times (£)

Cameron blames Brexit on EU migration failure

“David Cameron bade an emotional farewell to the EU on Tuesday night, saying Britain would not ‘turn its back on Europe’ but claiming that he could have avoided Brexit if European leaders had let him control migration… French officials said Mr Cameron insisted that he could have won last week’s referendum had EU leaders granted him his wish of an ‘emergency brake’ on migration which, he said, was ‘a driving factor’ behind the Out vote” – Financial Times

Osborne says EU trade will come at a price

“Britain may have to pay into the EU budget and continue to allow unlimited migration from the EU in order to protect trade with the continent, George Osborne suggested yesterday. The chancellor put himself at odds with Boris Johnson at The Times CEO Summit by indicating that Britain should stay inside the single market. He also said that he would not back any candidate for the leadership at the moment” – The Times (£)

Vine: How my husband Gove heard Leave had won

“The first I knew about the referendum result was at 4.45am last Friday when I was woken by the noise of people talking outside my bedroom window… I was just drifting back to sleep when my husband’s mobile rang. Fumbling, he picked up the call. I could hear every word. ‘Michael?’ an excited, if slightly weary, voice said. ‘Michael, guess what? We’ve won!’” – Sarah Vine, Daily Mail

Dorries accuses Soubry of being drunk at anti-Brexit rally

“Tory MP Anna Soubry was accused of being drunk by fellow Tory MP Nadine Dorries after she almost broke down at an anti-Brexit rally last night. Despite organisers attempting to cancel the event amid safety fears after tens of thousands of people clicked ‘attending’ on Facebook, the rally caused chaos outside the Houses of Parliament yesterday evening. Crowds gathered at Trafalgar Square in central London shortly after 5pm holding placards which read ‘Reunited kingdom’, ‘Everyone is welcome here’ and ‘let’s hug it out’” – Daily Mail

Dawkins: Vote Johnson for a second referendum!

“What possible Prime Minister would have the courage, the chutzpah, to call a second referendum? Certainly not Damaged Goods Cameron… It would have to be a leading Brexiteer. Only such a one could carry the country with him, and get away with such a bold decision. I can think of only one British politician with the sheer bottle, the idiosyncratic contrariness, the endearingly impudent bloody cheek, to get away with it. Boris Johnson, of course” – Richard Dawkins, Prospect

Farage abuses his fellow MEPs

“From Belgium to Westminster, what a mad, invigorating, double-take of a day. Plots, a putsch, a punch-up – and a visit from Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves. In Brussels – biff! – Nigel Farage did his bit for diplomacy by telling the European Parliament: ‘Virtually none of you have ever done a proper job in your lives’. Cue more clucking than in a free-range egg barn” – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail

Tusk to snub Sturgeon

“Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, will snub Nicola Sturgeon as she heads to Brussels to fight for Scotland to stay in the EU. Scotland’s First Minister will launch a charm offensive to make the case that Scotland should remain in the bloc after 62 per cent of Scots voted to stay. But she suffered a blow when Mr Tusk’s officials made it plain that he had no time to meet her” – Daily Mail

Eagle ready to swoop on humiliated Corbyn

“The former shadow business secretary Angela Eagle is emerging as the unity candidate to challenge for the Labour leadership after MPs overwhelmingly backed a vote of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn. In an unprecedented display of defiance, Mr Corbyn refused to quit despite three quarters of his MPs backing the no-confidence motion in his leadership and a growing exodus of shadow ministers” – The Times (£)

If Labour embraces Brexit, it might just win. If it doesn’t, it will be annihilated – Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph

Deerin: Why I’ve joined the Corbyn Labour Party

“When the Opposition should be effective, sensible and united, the man at the wheel is driving straight at a wall, the fanaticism shining in his eyes, elbowing away anyone who might pull off a last-ditch change of course. He has packed the party membership with the hard-Left who, even if he is unseated, intend to vote him back in. This is why I broke my rule and joined up and why there is now a social media movement to draw in as many people as possible” – Chris Deerin, Daily Mail

Fifty killed in terrorist attack on Istanbul Airport

“Three suicide bombers have launched a ‘major, co-ordinated’ attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, spraying bullets into crowds of terrified passengers and security personnel before blowing themselves up, injuring more than 140 people and leaving a death toll expected to rise to 50. Eyewitnesses described the moment a hero policeman shot down one of the suicide bombers before he was able to detonate his explosives, giving holidaymakers a chance to escape and saving countless lives” – Daily Mail

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